ESPN President Releases Memo; Numerous Employees to be Laid Off

Photo Credit: ESPN.com

ESPN President, John Skipper, released a memo to the company’s employees informing them of some changes coming to the network. “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” announced that it will be laying off many of its on-air personalities.

In the memo, Skipper says that “ESPN has been actively engaged throughout its history in navigating changes in technology and fan behavior in order to continue to deliver quality, breakthrough content.”

In October 2015, ESPN laid off around 300 workers. Most of those workers were off camera. With some of its on-air personalities being let go now, one has to if ESPN is struggling to keep up with the digital age. According to The New York Times, ESPN has lost more than 10 million subscribers over the past several years.

NY Times contributor, James Miller, said the “significant losses in their subscriber base were like punches to the gut and head, and now the company is trying to make sure they are strong enough to fight in the future.”

Rather than watching ESPN’s popular show “SportsCenter,” fans, especially younger-aged fans, turn to their phones and laptops to watch any highlight video they want in an instant. This is forcing ESPN to focus more on its digital content. Focusing on digital content is allowing the company to make changes to their staff.
Various sources claim ESPN has let go of about 100 of its workers as part of the “changes” Wednesday’s memo mentions.

“Our objective in all we do is to best serve fans and their changing consumption habits while still maintaining an unparalleled and diverse talent roster that resonates with fans across all our platforms,” said ESPN President, Skipper. “We will continue to foster creativity and investment in the products and resources necessary to embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.”

With all the changes coming to the network and the rise of Fox’s “FS1” sports coverage, “The Worldwide Leader in Sports,” ESPN, may not be the leader for much longer.